Speakers Announced for ULTRA Summit

Larry Pimentel, president and CEO of Azamara Club Cruises
Larry Pimentel, president and CEO of Azamara Club Cruises

Luxury Travel Advisor’s ULTRA Summit, to be held May 17-19 at Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort, has announced its lineup of speakers and an enhanced program addressing a wide range of topics in the ultra-luxury travel market.

Presented by our sister publication, Luxury Travel Advisor magazine, the event will bring top travel advisors and suppliers together for a discussion about the latest research and trends in ultra-luxury travel.

Featured speakers include Larry Pimentel, president and CEO of Azamara Club Cruises. Pimentel, who previously was president of SeaDream Yacht Club, Cunard Line and Seabourn Cruise Line, will speak about luxury trends and “future-proofing” your business. 

Peter Yesawich, vice chairman of MMGY Global, will present “The Affluent Traveler: Motivations, Myths and Market Opportunities,” featuring highlights from MMGY Global's “Portrait of American Travelers” and insights into affluent travelers’ destination preferences, planning and booking habits, social values and media preferences.

Yesawich, who directs MMGY Global’s consumer research, is a frequent commentator on travel trends in publications including The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Time, Newsweek and Bloomberg Businessweek and has been featured on CNN, CNBC, MSNBC, BBC World and National Public Radio

Caitlin Domke, brand strategist at NewsCred, will present “Best Practices in Content Marketing for the Travel Industry: How to Create Content Travelers Love.” Domke has a decade of experience in integrated marketing, helping brands achieve business goals and craft great stories. Domke worked with Pfizer, Discover Student Loans, Fidelity and Avon to understand content marketing best practices and craft their content strategy. Prior to NewsCred, she spent three years at The Atlantic magazine, where she conceptualized award-winning integrated marketing programs for Porsche, Bank of America, Boeing and Delta.

JD Andrews, an award-winning photographer, speaker and social media expert, will discuss how brands can make social media fun, easy and profitable. Andrews has explored 93 countries across seven continents, capturing travel experiences for a variety of channels and working with cruise lines, airlines, destination marketing organizations and tourist boards. He has been honored with numerous awards for his video work, including four Emmy Awards, and he has been featured on National Geographic Traveler, BBC Travel, The New York Times, Huffington Post, AOL Travel, Instagram, Mashable and Gadling.

This year's program will have a mix of panel discussions, presentations, networking functions and educational content. New this year are interactive, 15-minute "pop-up panels," in which a moderator will identify topics and randomly select delegates to participate based on the numbers on the back of their badges. 

Participants exclusively will receive a white paper providing research and insight into the ultra-luxury landscape and emerging trends. 

Visit www.ltaultrasummit.com